White House press secretary Jen Psaki and National Economic Council Director Brian Deese both spoke without masks during Friday afternoon’s press briefing as members of President Joe Biden’s administration, and Biden himself, continue to appear to violate his executive order which largely requires face coverings on federal property.
Both Pskai and Deese spoke from the podium without masks on, just two days after Biden signed an executive order requiring “heads of executive departments and agencies” to take immediate action and “require compliance with CDC guidelines with respect to wearing masks,” as well as other public health measures, on federal property.
The executive order states that heads of agencies “may make categorical or case-by-case exceptions” but should require “additional physical distancing measures, additional testing, or reconfiguration of workspace, consistent with applicable law.”
Per the order, heads of agencies must document all exceptions in writing:
“It’s requiring as I’ve said all along, wherever I have authority, mandating that masks be worn and social distancing be kept on federal property, on interstate commerce, et cetera,” Biden said from the Oval Office on Wednesday.
Biden seemed to violate his own order, appearing at the Lincoln Memorial and posing for a photo op alongside his family members, many of whom are not members of his immediate household:
Biden violated his own order yet again Thursday, speaking from the State Dining room without a mask and coughing into his hand during his address:
Similarly, Dr. Anthony Fauci spoke at a White House press briefing this week without a mask.
Psaki has since defended Biden for his own violations, telling reporters that his team takes “precautions” but added, “I think we have bigger issues to worry about at this moment in time.”